Football fan's 'monkey' gesture

Fan denies 'monkey gesture' charge

A football fan has denied making a racist monkey gesture at a Premier League match between Sunderland and West Brom when he appeared in court today.

21-year-old Liam Jones, of East Vines, Sunderland, was charged following an alleged incident in the stands of the Stadium of Light when West Brom's Romelu Lukaku scored a goal against the North East club.

West Brom beat Sunderland 4-2 in the game last November.

Jones was arrested after the match and was charged last month with racially aggravated harassment.

Jones was granted bail on a number of conditions, including that he does not go within 300m of the Stadium of Light or 500m of St James' Park - the home of rivals Newcastle United - on match days.